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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25659937">I'd Give You My Sunshine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiniestawoo/pseuds/tiniestawoo'>tiniestawoo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I could never give you peace [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teen Wolf (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(rape DOES NOT happen in the main pairing), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Arrests, Brief mention of infanticide, Child Sex Abuse mentions, Childhood Trauma, Flashbacks, M/M, Medical Trauma, Nightmares, Oral Sex, Panic Attacks, Past Rape/Non-con, Police Interaction, Police abuse of power, Rape, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sex Work, Sex Worker Theo Raeken, Sexual Assault, True Alpha Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), also there's background sterek in there, but like for half a second, take all my legal information with a grain of salt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:01:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,518</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25659937</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiniestawoo/pseuds/tiniestawoo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Scott wasn’t exactly surprised that, of all the people who might call him from jail, it had been Theo’s voice on the other end of the line. What had surprised Scott, though, were the long silences and out of character insecurity in his voice. Stiles would undoubtedly have hung up the call and left Theo to face the consequences of whatever he was calling ‘wrong place, wrong time stuff’. But that just meant Scott knew he shouldn't. </p>
<p>Ignoring someone who needed help had never really been Scott’s strong suit. For all the undeniable wrong Theo had done, when Scott asked him to step up and help them, he had.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Or the one where Theo Raeken used to be a sex worker, gets arrested, and throws a kink into Scott's carefully crafted sense normalcy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Scott McCall/Theo Raeken</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I could never give you peace [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1869178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Sceo Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello, and welcome to my first crack <b>at</b> Sceo! (if you read this author note before 12pm I am *so sorry* if you went into this thinking it was funny....)</p>
<p> I've been helped <em>immensely</em> by the one and only <a href="https://demonzdust.tumblr.com">DemonzDust</a>, and I hope everyone enjoys this fic as much as they've enjoyed it all... like... ten times they've read it by now. </p>
<p>Don't let the title fool you. This fic is uh,,, not about sunshine. <b>It's dark. Mind the tags and your own triggers.</b></p>
<p>This fic is complete and It's gonna be posted in 3 parts! First part today for Alpha and Omega, Part 2 on August 5th, 2020 for 'Clothes Sharing' (and, there's only one bed hehe), and then Part 3 on August 7th, 2020 for 'Post-Canon' - So it'll all be out soon!</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re more grown up than the last time I saw you, Raeken,” the sleazy San Francisco PD officer crooned into his ear. He pressed himself against Theo’s back, far closer than necessary just to unlock Theo’s cuffs. “Taller, thicker...better behaved. Someone finally whip your punk ass into shape?”</p>
<p>Theo stared at the wall in front of him and studied the bricks. His jaw clenched as he counted his own heartbeats carefully. They were rising. Instead of responding to the officer he drew in a deep breath and let his eyes flutter closed. Years of practice told him that if he kept his heart rate even, he could stem the panic.</p>
<p>“Oh come on, you can’t have been <em>tamed</em>, kid. You were one of the feistiest around.” The man was still holding Theo’s cuffs in one hand, but his other one had wrapped around to the front of Theo’s body, and was sliding down Theo’s chest. Intentionally grazing over a nipple and heading towards his crotch.</p>
<p>“I want my phone call,” Theo said quickly. </p>
<p>The officer stilled, hand resting on Theo’s belt. “Who do you think you’re kidding, kid? You were what, fifteen the first time we picked you up? That makes it what, three, four years we’ve been giving you that phone call? Nobody’s ever once shown up to bail your ass out. Nobody wants to take responsibility for you, and hey, I can’t say I blame them.” The officer’s hand slid further, palming Theo’s flaccid dick. “I could be convinced to let you make the call, though. You still have those pretty lips.”</p>
<p>Theo used a burst of inhuman strength to tear his hands out of the officer’s grasp and step out of his arm’s reach. He narrowed grey eyes on the pink-faced middle-aged white man wearing his uniform like an ironic get-out-of-jail free card. “I want my phone call,” Theo repeated, “now.” </p>
<p>The officer blinked at Theo, momentarily confused. A slow, sick smile spread onto his face. “You want me to add resisting arrest to the list of charges? Assaulting an officer? Wouldn’t be the first time, you little fuck.” The officer glanced behind him towards an empty hallway and up at what Theo was sure was a deactivated security camera looking into the holding cell. The officer brought his hands to his own belt. </p>
<p>He stepped close to Theo, still smirking. “You want your phone call? The one nobody will answer for your whore ass? Well, you know what I want. Quid pro quo.” The officer set his hands on Theo’s shoulders and pushed down. </p>
<p>Theo schooled his features into an expressionless mask and dropped to his knees. When the officer unlatched his belt and unzipped his pants, Theo closed his eyes, opened his mouth, and did the only thing he’d ever been told he was good at.</p>
<p>Twenty minutes later, with swollen lips and the taste of the officer’s spunk in the back of his throat Theo pressed the receiver to his ear with a hand he refused to admit was shaking. It rang once, twice, three times, and Theo had just given up hope when the line clicked to life. </p>
<p>“Hello?” </p>
<p>Theo exhaled as smoothly as he could, “Scott?”</p>
<p>“Theo?” </p>
<p>“I…” Theo faltered. He had no right to be asking this of the True Alpha. With Scott gone, there had been nothing left for Theo in Beacon Hills. So, when he’d run out of stockpiled money, he’d left in search of a way to make ends meet. It wasn’t Scott’s fault that he’d accepted money from the wrong person, and ended up arrested. It wasn’t Scott’s fault that the officer on duty that night had happened to be one that knew Theo. </p>
<p>Theo was about to hang the phone back up, go back to his cell and wait for his next hearing when Scott asked, “Theo, what’s wrong?” </p>
<p>Deliberately ignoring the wave of emotions, Theo replied, “I got arrested.” He hastily added, “In San Francisco.”</p>
<p>“For <em>what</em>?” </p>
<p>Theo swallowed, the taste of come rushing up at him. As if he needed a <em>reminder</em>. </p>
<p>“Nothing...nothing violent. Just, wrong place, wrong time stuff.”  He tried to keep his tone level.  “Any chance you could bail me out?”</p>
<p>He tried to pretend like this was exactly what it had been before, when he hadn’t cared about anything beyond himself. He’d made calls like this before. He’d called and been ignored and spent nights in the hands of the officers in the precinct.

He’d never had someone to come get him because he’d always pushed <em>everyone</em> away. His mind wandered to a week ago; being run out of the area he’d once worked because of how <em>selfish</em> he’d been back then. It was easier to be selfish than to feel. Theo wanted so badly to flip a switch, go back to just not caring, but he couldn’t.</p>
<p>He could never take back what he did, but as long as <em>someone</em> believed he wasn’t a monster, he wouldn’t be that person again. 
</p>
<p>“Theo, are you still there?” Theo had no idea how long he’d been lost in his own mind, but somehow, Scott was still on the other end of the line. “Hey, which precinct? I’m in Sac, but I can head there now.” </p>
<p>Staring at the wall and clenching a fist to keep from letting the tears out where anyone could see him, Theo told Scott where he was and then hung up the phone. The officer, still flushed from his release and grinning like the cat that got the cream tugged Theo back towards the holding cell. “What do you know, someone actually answered,” he taunted. </p>
<p>For a brief moment, Theo considered snapping his cuffs, killing this man and running away from this place. It was shocking, really, that it hadn’t occurred to him when he’d been on his knees with the officer’s dick in his mouth. He’d have been far from the first person Theo had killed, and Theo probably wouldn't even need to feel bad about this one.</p>
<p>He didn’t kill him. He couldn’t now. The list of people in this world that Theo considered ‘good men’ was incredibly short, and the person at the top was on his way to get him out of there. </p>
<p>
For a few quiet moments, alone in the cell, Theo let himself believe he deserved to be rescued from his own mistakes by Scott McCall. </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Scott wasn’t exactly surprised that, of all the people who might call him from jail, it had been Theo’s voice on the other end of the line. What had surprised Scott, though, were the long silences and out of character insecurity in his voice. Stiles would undoubtedly have hung up the call and left Theo to face the consequences of whatever he was calling ‘wrong place, wrong time stuff’. But that just meant Scott knew he shouldn't. </p>
<p>Ignoring someone who needed help had never really been Scott’s strong suit. For all the undeniable wrong Theo had done, when Scott asked him to step up and help them, he had.</p>
<p>So, the least Scott could do was return the favor. Also, it meant he got to head out early from a date that was going  pretty poorly. </p>
<p>It occurred to Scott about forty-five minutes into his drive to San Francisco that he actually had no idea how bailing someone out of jail worked. For all the time he’d spent in the Beacon County Sheriff’s Office, he’d seen surprisingly little official procedure. He ran briefly through the list of people he could call to ask. His mother would just worry, Noah would tell Stiles, Stiles would give him a lecture because Theo was involved, Lydia was almost always too busy to answer her phone by this time on the east coast, Malia wasn’t in the country, and Scott didn’t want to tell Raf he was in San Francisco.</p>
<p>That left one person. “Hey Siri, call Derek Hale.” </p>
<p>Derek answered on the second ring, “Is everything okay?”</p>
<p>Scott sighed, sad that after a year of normalcy that was still everyone’s response to a phone call. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m driving. I just…you were arrested once.”</p>
<p>There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before Derek finally said, “Scott, I’m not in California, If I’m your one phone call…”</p>
<p>“I called you from my cell phone…”</p>
<p>“Right.”</p>
<p>After a few awkward minutes of dancing around <em>who</em> he was bailing out (which he did not want to mention if he didn’t have to) and <em>what</em> they’d been arrested for (which he did not know), he had a basic understanding of how the bail out process worked. He was just about to hang up when Derek said, “If you tell me who you’re bailing out, I’ll send you the money.” </p>
<p>It was manipulative and Scott knew it, but if he was honest he also had not been looking forward to emptying his savings account that evening. This was Derek. Derek was level-headed, understanding, and most importantly had not been around during the height of Theo’s reign of terror. Sighing, Scott whispered, “Theo.”</p>
<p>“EXCUSE ME?” A new voice exploded onto the line. </p>
<p>“Stiles?” Scott frowned. “Where did you come from?”</p>
<p>“I’ve been here the whole time, that’s irrelevant. What do you mean you’re bailing <em>Theo</em> out?” </p>
<p>Scott knew that Derek and Stiles had been seeing each other, but he had not realized that Derek was in Washington DC at this exact time. He might have reconsidered who to call if he had. Gripping the steering wheel tightly he ignored Stiles and asked, “Derek, are you still going to send me the money?”</p>
<p>“He’s not going to send you money to –” There was a tussle on the other end of the line. Scott heard indignant shouting from Stiles and eventually the slam of a door. </p>
<p>“You sure you want to bail him out?” Derek asked. “You don’t even seem to know what he did.”</p>
<p>“He’s…” Pack? A friend? Either, neither or both, depending on the day? “Yes, I’m sure.” </p>
<p>“I’ll send you enough. Send back what you don’t use.” Derek hesitated for a moment. “Take care of yourself, Scott.” </p>
<p>“Thanks, Derek.” </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Theo heard Scott’s voice when he arrived, and it jolted him into the present, wrenching him out of the memories he’d been lost in while he waited. He stood at the bars, clenching one between his sweaty palms as he listened to the officer – the same one whose dick he’d sucked two hours earlier – tell Scott that Theo had been arrested for prostitution. 

It had been inevitable that Scott was going to find out, but it turned Theo’s stomach to hear the officer continue. Phrases like “<em>It isn’t the first time we’ve picked him up, just the first time since he turned 18.</em>” and “<em>Really, you don’t have to bail him out. A weekend in jail might set him straight</em>.” had Theo reconsidering his previous decision not to tear the man’s throat out.</p>
<p>After what felt like an eternity, footsteps headed his direction. Theo quickly sat back down on the bench, staring at the wall to not appear too eager. The pink-faced officer – still smelling like satisfaction and far too much like Theo – stood outside the holding cell for a too-long moment. “Who’s he, Raeken? Your pimp? I’m impressed you found some schmuck to give a shit.” </p>
<p>Theo took a deep, steadying breath, knowing full well that Scott could hear every word that was being said. “He’s my friend. Let me go.” Theo turned to the officer with narrowed eyes. “He’ll get suspicious if this takes too long.” </p>
<p>“It’s a shame.” The officer opened the cell but stayed in the doorway. Theo stepped towards him, refusing to back down now, not when Scott was a few measly doors away. The officer smirked, reaching towards Theo’s face. “I’d really been hoping we could spend the night together.”</p>
<p>Theo smacked his hand away and resisted the urge to growl. “Let me go,” he repeated, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. </p>
<p>The officer cocked an eyebrow but stepped aside. Theo hurried past him and through the doors towards Scott – and freedom.</p>
<p>He stopped just outside the last locked door and locked eyes with Scott, who was seated in a visitor’s chair scrolling on his phone. Scott’s warm brown eyes were concerned in a way Theo had seen a million times but only rarely directed at him.

Scott looked…good. His hair was a little longer than the last time Theo had seen him, but had been styled into submission by some kind of product. He was wearing a short-sleeved button down, the black circles on his arm just visible beneath the sleeve. Theo could smell laundry detergent and what might have been cologne. Scott certainly hadn’t just been lounging at home when Theo called, not dressed like that.</p>
<p>
Scott also looked somewhere between exhausted and exasperated, and Theo couldn’t be sure exactly why, which made him more nervous. </p>
<p>He swallowed under the weight of the gaze and looked away. Scott was kind and generous and warm and loyal and all of the things Theo only knew how to pretend to be. Shame and inadequacy warred within him. This had been a bad idea. Calling Scott was a bad idea.</p>
<p>Scott didn’t deserve to deal with his bullshit.</p>
<p>Suddenly there was a warm hand on his upper arm, and Theo looked up to see Scott smile crookedly at him. “Let’s get out of here,” the alpha said quietly. “We can go back to my place unless there’s somewhere else you’d rather go.” </p>
<p>Theo resisted the urge to lean into the touch. It was gentle and genuine in a way he could hardly remember being touched. He nodded, forcing a fake smile onto his own lips. “Your place is fine,” he answered.</p>
<p>Scott squeezed his arm for a moment and then released him, motioning for Theo to follow him out of the station. Theo did, ignoring the lingering scent of disappointment that filled the space behind him from the officer. </p>
<p>When they were both seated in Scott’s car, the alpha turned to him. “Prostitution?” </p>
<p>Theo stared straight ahead. “Yep.” </p>
<p>“Do you want to…talk about it?” </p>
<p>Theo turned to Scott then, both of his eyebrows raised. “No,” he answered, honestly. “No. I really don’t want to talk about it. I’ll pay you back the bail money, though. It just might take me a few days.” </p>
<p>“Oh.” Scott turned and looked over his shoulder to back out of the spot. “It was Derek’s money.” </p>
<p>Theo rolled his eyes. “I’ll pay him back the money, then.” </p>
<p>“Theo, one time I tried to give Derek back five hundred thousand dollars and he just pushed the bag away like it was nothing.” Scott laughed. “I don’t think he cares about the money, honestly.” </p>
<p>Theo chuckled at that. “Either way. I’ll pay it back. And you don’t actually have to take me to your place. I can direct you to where my truck is if you just want to drop me off.” </p>
<p>Scott stopped at a stop sign and glanced at Theo. “Do you <em>want </em>me to drop you off at your truck?”</p>
<p><em>No</em>. “I think you’ve done enough for me tonight.” It wasn’t an answer. “You look like you were out doing something. Just drop me off so you can get back to it.”</p>
<p>“I actually really don’t want to get back to it. I was on a pretty terrible date.” Scott snorted, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “He seemed nice enough online but in person...” He shuddered, then turned towards Theo with a small, amused grin. “Thanks for getting me out of it, I guess.”</p>
<p>Theo might have muttered a performatively smug “you’re welcome” had he not just short-circuited at Scott’s use of the pronoun ‘he’. Scott had never resisted showing affection towards anyone, but the fact that he’d been on a date with a <em>guy</em> caused Theo’s mind to begin spinning. Scott was interested in men. Scott had been on a date, Scott was <em>dating.</em> Scott was probably <em>single.</em> He was a single, 19-year-old guy with basic 19-year-old guy needs who had just left a date to bail Theo, his not-pack maybe-friend, out of jail. </p>
<p>Theo considered the situation. If he went back to Scott’s place he could repay Scott in the best way he knew how. He was never particularly proud of what he did, but he’d been reliably informed that he was <em>great</em> at it.</p>
<p>
“I guess I can go to your place,” Theo said, shifting into one of his masks, relaxing against the seat and studying the tension in Scott’s shoulders. “If you’re sure you want me there.”</p>
<p>The alpha gave him a bright smile at that and headed for Sacramento.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is my teen wolf bingo fill for 'Explicit Consent is Sexy' which .... lets talk about a reach haha!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Scott had a lot of practice concealing his emotions.</p><p>
He’d done it for years; hidden his fear and his anxiety. His pain and his anger. He was the leader. He was the alpha. It was on him to be the strong one, to keep it together, to make sure everyone was safe. Keeping his emotions under wraps when surrounded by a pack of werewolves capable of smelling chemosignals was difficult. So instead of directly avoiding his feelings he learned how to temporarily deflect them. </p><p>When Scott had walked into the police station, and smelled that the officer was <em>drenched</em> in Theo’s scent with an undercurrent of satisfaction, every instinct he had to <em>protect his pack</em> was suddenly on high alert. And once the words <em>prostitution,</em> <em>not the first time</em>, and <em>a weekend in jail might set him straight</em> slid casually out of the officers mouth, he’d had to call on every minute of practice he’d ever had regulating his own emotions just to get through the process of paying for Theo’s bail.</p><p>When the officer had left, Scott had relaxed for just a moment, staring wide-eyed at the wall and then sitting down to collect himself. </p><p>The officer hadn’t been lying. He’d been perfectly calm, if a little disappointed, through the entire interaction. He actually <em>believed</em> what he was saying, which meant one of two things:</p><p>Either this officer really believed Theo was a sex worker, or Theo <em>actually was</em>. 

The answer, though, was right in front of Scott. He knew how to read chemosignals. He knew that Theo wouldn’t have obscured the truth with his <em>wrong place, wrong time</em> excuse if he didn’t have a reason to hide it. The officer’s satisfaction, disappointment and desire for Theo to <em>stay</em> all added up to one very clear picture for Scott.</p><p>It didn’t matter if Theo was having sex with people for money or not, he had to get Theo out of there.</p><p>A thousand questions burned on Scott’s tongue as they pulled away from the station, but since Theo had made it clear he didn’t want to talk about anything involving the arrest — and he’d clearly been through enough that night already — he kept them to himself.</p><p>He pretended that everything was normal and the scent of that officer clinging around the edges of Theo’s mouth didn’t fill him with an instinctual protective rage. Because Theo clearly didn’t need that rage right now. What he needed was some sense of normalcy and to have his boundaries respected.</p><p>The drive back to Sacramento was quiet. Scott tried to emulate Stiles and fill the silence. He rattled on about his college classes, life in Sacramento, and how weird it was being away from Beacon Hills. He talked about Stiles and Lydia on the east coast, Malia god knows where, and Mason, Liam and Corey back in Beacon Hills finishing up their senior year. </p><p>Theo wasn’t <em>silent</em> the entire time, but he also didn’t make an effort to make conversation. There was something … off about the way he was acting. Even facing potential death Theo’d been cool, calculated and relaxed. Now, there was a tension in his shoulders that Scott had never seen before. Something was weighing heavily on him. It was almost like he was gearing himself up for something.</p><p>When they arrived, Scott was thankful to see that his roommate was gone. His apartment was nothing special; a small kitchen and living room, two suites that adjoined it branching out from either side. Scott turned to Theo, who was surveying the room. “Did you want a shower?” he asked.</p><p>“I could probably use one.” Theo shrugged. </p><p>Scott, unsure of what was the right move and what was the wrong move, just nodded and waved for Theo to follow him into his room. He handed the chimera a towel, a pair of sweatpants, and a t-shirt then watched him retreat into the bathroom. A moment later the shower started. Scott dropped onto his bed and sighed, running his hands into his hair to work out the gel he’d put in it on Lydia’s recommendation. </p><p>He’d been friends with Stiles for most of his life. If there was anything he was <em>unaccustomed to</em> it was silence. He’d learned a long time ago to listen <em>around</em> what was being said to find the truth. The fact that Theo was quiet made him nervous. He knew Theo was hiding something inside that silence. He just wasn’t sure how to help him.</p><p>--</p><p>In the shower, Theo finally, briefly and quietly, gave into the emotions that he’d kept bottled up since the officer had flashed a badge at him hours earlier. With one hand on the wall his chest shook as he tried to draw in enough air to fill his lungs. His hands trembled and grappled for purchase on the cheap plastic shower walls. Tears – unfamiliar but not unexpected – burned in his eyes from the humiliation and the frustration. </p><p>Theo stayed in the shower until the tears stopped and then a while longer until he was sure that the residual chemosignals from his brief lapse in emotional stability had faded. He scrubbed himself down with Scott’s bodywash, washed his hair, and then just stood and let the water temporarily wash away painful memories that, no matter what Theo did, refused to stay buried.</p><p>For years he’d just ignored them, along with the rest of his past. After his trip to Hell, he found that he couldn’t anymore. But it wasn’t the sick things the Doctors had done to him — and made him do — that haunted him in moments like these. It was the single month the year he’d turned fourteen that he was forced to relive over and over and over again the second he even <em>thought </em>about someone touching him. </p><p>Even burying the sick bastard who’d made him this way hadn’t managed to erase those memories.</p><p>Briefly, he considered asking Scott to take them, but to do that, Scott would have to see them. Theo wouldn’t wish visions of that part of his past on anyone, least of all Scott.</p><p>Dressing in Scott’s sweats and shirt was a comfort Theo had not expected. He didn’t experience pack like a regular werewolf did, didn’t feel the pull towards Scott, the desire to stay around others. He did, however, feel safe here; surrounded by Scott’s scent and knowing that the alpha was just outside the bathroom door, ready to keep away anything that might come for Theo from anywhere except inside his own head. </p><p>Theo stepped out of the bathroom, a plume of steam wisping around him as he did. Scott had changed at some point, into a tank top and a pair of cutoff sweatpants. He was leaning back against his pillows staring down at his phone, but he looked up when Theo emerged. His eyes briefly flickered red, and then Theo watched an adorable blush crawl its way up Scott’s neck.</p><p>Theo cocked an eyebrow. “What was that?”</p><p>Scott averted his eyes. “Other than weird?” he laughed quietly. “You’re wearing my clothes and you smell like my soap? It’s just... ”</p><p>“A wolf thing?” Theo finished, seeing the opportunity for what it was. He stepped closer to the bed, kneeling at the end of it and fixing his gaze on Scott. When Scott stayed quiet – but kept his eyes firmly fixed on him – Theo crawled forward, making space for himself between Scott’s legs, resting his hands on the alpha’s thighs. </p><p>Slipping easily into his work mask, Theo bit his bottom lip, tugging it into his mouth, widening his eyes slightly and raising his eyebrows in a silent question. Scott’s eyes widened and Theo could smell the arousal building. The alpha licked his lips, his phone still clenched in both of his hands. “What are you doing?” </p><p>“You left a date for me,” Theo murmured, tipping his chin down, glancing down at the bands on Scott’s arms and then flicking his gaze back at Scott through his eyelashes. “But I bet I can show you a better time than he would have.” </p><p>Scott seemed to have momentarily lost the capacity for speech. His body, though, was clearly into it, even if his mind didn’t seem on board. </p><p>“It sounds like it’s been a pretty long night for both of us, but I’m not tired. And I don’t think you are either.” Theo leaned forward to pluck the phone out of his hands, dropping it onto the nightstand before turning back to him. “What do you say, Scott? Yes or no?”</p><p>“Uh, yeah.” Scott laughed, his cheeks still rosy from his blush. A faint sheen of sweat dotted his brow. He brought his hands to Theo’s shoulders and ran them, calloused in a way no born wolf’s would ever be, along the curve where his shoulder met his neck and then wrapped both of them around Theo’s jaw, tugging him forward gently.</p><p>Theo should really have seen the kiss coming, but for all the times Theo had kissed anyone, this was the first time he could remember actually wanting to. Scott kissed the same way he did anything that mattered to him; intensely, focusedly, and wholeheartedly. It was different than any other kiss he’d had; it wasn’t some drunkard biting Theo’s lips, a power struggle, or a manipulation tactic, it was just warm, intentional affection. Theo felt himself moan without even having to fake it, and was surprised enough that he momentarily forgot that he also had hands that he needed to be doing something with.</p><p>Once he recovered from the unexpected kiss he moved to take control of the situation, spreading his knees slightly to rock his hips down against the growing bulge in Scott’s shorts. His hands made their way onto the alpha’s shoulders, gripping the firm muscle there and letting his nails scrape along Scott’s skin. Scott’s pupils were dilated, and what brown was visible in his irises flickered red at intervals.</p><p>Suddenly, Scott’s hands released Theo’s face. He planted an elbow on the bed, and, gripping Theo between powerful thighs, flipped them on just the pendulum of his elbow. Theo landed on his back, momentarily dazed. It had been a long time since anyone he fucked had been strong enough to overpower him, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Then, Scott’s face was buried into the crook of his shoulder and neck, sucking and biting, and Theo was once again struck by the fact that he was actually enjoying this.   </p><p>After another unexpectedly enjoyable kiss, Scott pulled away with a confused look on his face. Theo tried to re-initiate the kiss but Scott avoided it, leaning back out of his reach. “Are you sure you want to do this?” </p><p>Theo rolled his eyes. “Scott, this was my idea.”</p><p>“I know, but you’re not…” Scott ran his tongue along his bottom lip and kept his eyes fixed on Theo. He rocked his hips down pointedly against Theo’s, the hard line of his cock pressing against Theo. “You’re not getting hard. And you don’t smell like arousal, like <em>at all</em>.”</p><p>Theo blinked. “I don’t have to be hard for <em>you</em> to fuck <em>me</em>, Scott.” He didn’t have an answer for the arousal point. He…wasn’t aroused. He was enjoying this more than he ever had in the past, but what he was doing was mostly a routine. A job. An act.</p><p>“Theo, I’m not going to have sex with you if you’re not into it.” </p><p>“Why does that even matter?” Theo huffed, “<em>You’re</em> clearly into it.”</p><p>Scott’s eyes widened. He sat up, kneeling between Theo’s legs in a mirror of how Theo had started this all. His face was pinched even deeper with concern. “Theo...I’m not.. I wouldn’t...” Scott looked away, redness in his face again.</p><p>He smelled like concern and guilt.</p><p>“Wouldn't what, Scott? Use me?” A self deprecating laugh choked its way out of Theo’s throat. “Everyone else has so, what’s one more? I know you heard the officer at the station, heard what he was going to do to me if I stayed. You think anything I do with you could ever compare to that?”</p><p>Scott stared at him, shocked and momentarily lost for words.</p><p>“Or is that the reason?” Theo asked, doubt suddenly rushing in. “That’s why you can’t can’t let yourself enjoy this? Because you’re too good for it? Saint Scott McCall is too good to enjoy sex with a prostitute?”</p><p>“What? No!” Scott shook his head emphatically. “I don’t care if you actually <em>are</em> a prostitute – fuck, sex worker, whatever term you want me to use – I just care that…” Scott rested one of his hands on Theo’s knee and squeezed lightly. “I won’t <em>hurt </em>you, Theo. It wouldn’t make me happy to hurt you <em>less</em> than you would have been hurt otherwise. I don’t want to hurt you at all.” The alpha’s brown eyes were open and honest and it terrified Theo that he <em>meant</em> what he was saying. “You waited for me to consent before you started this. I’m pretty sure the phrase is ‘enthusiastic informed consent’.”</p><p>“I’m <em> enthusiastic</em> about having sex with you,” Theo muttered, looking away, flashes of wrinkled hands and bloody bindings at the edges of his subconscious. He’d never thought twice about someone else using his body; choice was a fantasy for <em>good</em> people. For people like Scott.</p><p>Scott shook his head. “No, I don’t think you are.” </p><p>Theo was shocked that he hadn’t already noticed the uptick in the beat of his heart, probably because Scott’s hands on him at all had that effect anyway. By the time he realized he was falling it was too late to stop it. His mind flashed with images of that dusty old house and that sick, cruel smile. He was fourteen again, bright-eyed and shamefully naïve.</p><p><em>‘I’m going back to the Doctors.’</em>  <em>He said, hands crossed over his chest.</em></p><p>‘<em>No, Theo, I don’t think you are.’ A pair of dull brown eyes crinkled at the corners in well worn laugh-lines as chapped lips curved upwards into a terrifying grin. ‘You’re staying with me a while longer.</em>’ .</p><p>Bile rising in his throat, Theo shoved Scott away from him, desperate to get away from the gentle touches and the kind words. His past was too close to the surface now, dragging at his control with bloodied claws. </p><p>Calling Scott had been a mistake. He’d told himself that a hundred times in the last hour and apparently at no point had he actually accepted that as the truth until now. He scrambled off the bed towards the bathroom to reclaim his dirty clothes.</p><p>
“Where are you going?” Scott called. </p><p>
<em>Anywhere but here</em>. “I guess to go make money to pay Derek back,” Theo lied, aiming for confidence but even he could tell he missed the mark. “I- I can’t stay here.” His pounding heart was in his throat now, and it was quickly becoming hard to draw a breath. </p><p>“Theo, I already told you, Derek doesn’t care about the money. Theo, please—” Scott followed him into the bathroom, “I invited you back here because I was worried about you, not because I expected anything from you.”</p><p>Theo heard blood rushing in his ears, almost loud enough to drown out Scott’s words. His vision blurred with another <em>fucking</em> round of tears and he kept his gaze pointedly away from Scott. </p><p>“Just let me go.” he begged, his voice shaky, unsteady. The voice in his head berated his weakness, his emotions. He reached for the hem of the T-shirt he wore, desperate to get it off and return it to Scott. He needed to be a million miles away from here. </p><p>Scott’s hand covered his suddenly, gripping it firmly. He could feel Scott’s warm body against his back, constant and sure. Theo stared at the porcelain of the sink without really seeing it, his lips quivering no matter how hard he tried to bite them to keep them still. He tried to take deep breaths, tried to force away the panic.</p><p>“Don’t leave,” the alpha said softly. “You’re not okay. You’ve had a rough day, just, stay here. You’re safe here, Theo.”</p><p>Theo really hoped Scott meant that, because his flashback began at the end of those words. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arthur Morley had been an expert in an experimental field that dealt with cell regeneration and replication. On the surface he was just another rich old man, living off the results of a stroke of good luck. In reality, the so-called “organically grown cells” that he sold to companies aiming to do “ethical research” were definitely organically grown; in the bodies of children who would never live to see their second birthday. </p><p>By the time the Doctors reached out to him for information, he was no longer interested in making <em>more</em> money. He was, however, interested in the fourteen-year-old lab rat turned assistant they always had around. Without hesitation, the Doctors offered Theo up, like a lamb to the slaughter, in exchange for unlimited access to Morley’s research. </p><p>The first week or so seemed as though Theo had merely swapped one monstrous master for another. Theo was a marvel that Morley had never achieved: natural, organically replicating cells ready and willing to heal any damage Morley inflicted on him. Theo was numb to medical experimentation by then. If the worst thing Morley had done to him was slice him open to watch his skin knit itself back together, it would have been laughable. But it wasn’t.</p><p>Morley had been interested in more than just Theo’s regenerative properties. In that month there had been none of Scott’s <em>enthusiastic informed consent</em>. Morley had never cared if Theo <em>was into</em> what was happening. Morley had made it <em>painfully</em> clear that Theo, just as he’d been for the Doctors, was nothing more than a body for his use. </p><p>
Morley, it seemed, made a point to scrape away at whatever vestiges of humanity were still left in the body of a fratricidal 14-year-old science experiment. When Theo returned to the Doctors, he had been an empty shell for a long time.</p><p>And he probably would have stayed that way forever, if it wasn't for the fact that there was <em>one person</em> in the entire world that made him believe he could be more.</p><p>--</p><p>Scott lost track of how much time they spent in the bathroom, Scott holding most of Theo’s weight as the chimera shook, the hand not clasped in Scott’s – sometimes clawed, sometimes not – gripped on the edge of the counter. Scott had his own experience with panic attacks, but despite this, nothing he’d tried in the bathroom had worked to pull Theo back out of wherever he’d gone inside his head. When Theo’s awareness returned, he’d looked up to Scott with exhausted, bloodshot grey eyes, and he smelled strongly like shame.</p><p>It had been a further sign that something was seriously wrong that Theo hadn’t resisted Scott leading him back to the room. Theo had curled up on Scott’s bed, laying on his side, facing away from Scott, shoulders shaking, but he didn’t say a word. Scott sat on the bed beside him but gave him his space. After what felt like an eternity, Theo rolled over, burying his head into Scott’s lap and wrapping an arm around his thighs. He hadn’t reacted when Scott cautiously settled a hand down on the back of his neck, and before long, his breathing evened out as he gave into the exhaustion.</p><p>Scott watched him sleep for a long time, running his hand gently through his overgrown hair and tucking it behind his ear. Scott couldn't bring himself to move. It was clear that Theo needed the sleep, even if it was clearly far from pleasant, given the occasional high pitched whine and softly whispered ‘<em>please no</em>’ that slipped from his lips.</p><p>It felt… anticlimactic to have reached the very obvious conclusion that <em>someone</em> had hurt Theo. The truth was, a lot of people had probably hurt Theo. Even Scott didn’t feel completely innocent of it. Everything in him had screamed to step in as Theo was dragged to Hell, but he’d been frozen, unable to bring himself to stop it. Theo had been a threat; he’d killed others, nearly succeeded in killing Scott and it seemed like there would be no end to it...but still he’d wanted to intervene.</p><p>Seeing the fragility in the chimera now, Scott couldn’t help but wonder what kind of horrors he’d unknowingly participated in forcing on him. Sure, Theo had killed, both under his own power and as a tool for the Dread Doctors. Even with the memory of Theo’s claws buried in his own chest, Scott couldn’t ignore that Theo had been manipulated by the Doctors since he was a kid. Sure, Theo was still selfish and self-serving all on his own merit, but most people were from time to time.</p><p>If Scott could forgive <em>Peter Hale</em> of all people, he could certainly forgive Theo.</p><p>Sighing, Scott tipped his head back against the headboard and glanced at the ceiling, curling a lock of Theo’s hair around one of his fingers. He felt helpless, and that was the worst part of all of this. If Theo didn’t want to – or couldn’t – open up about what happened, there would be little that the alpha could do to help him. Even if he <em>did</em> open up there was still a chance that Scott wouldn't be able to do anything to help him.</p><p>At five years old his father had walked away, leaving him and his mother alone. At sixteen, he held his first love in his arms as she took her last breaths. Days later one of his closest friends had left, unable to stay in the town that had taken her from both of them. Derek had left with Braeden, and he’d even lost <em>Stiles</em> briefly. They’d nearly lost Lydia and then Kira had been forced to leave as well. Watching Deucalion die in front of him had fractured something inside of him. </p><p>For Scott, the transition from Beacon Hills to Sacramento had been steeped in loneliness. He’d gone from having the remnants of his pack around him to being by himself. Malia stopped by occasionally, but for the last year, he’d mostly just gone to his classes, came home and tried to keep moving forward. The idea of making friends  – new, <em>human</em> friends – terrified him. People around him got hurt, died, or left. Scott wasn’t sure how many more rounds of that he could take. </p><p>The date tonight had been his first real attempt to make <em>new</em> connections. He’d finally gotten out of the house, FaceTimed Lydia to make sure he met her standards, got a pre-date pep talk from Stiles, and even had a text from his mom with several smiley face emoji celebrating it. It had been disappointing; his date had been nothing like how he seemed online. He was pretty sure dates were supposed to be enjoyable, were supposed to feel good. This one...hadn’t.</p><p>In the span of a minutes long jailhouse phone call, Theo had suddenly reminded Scott what <em>did</em> feel good. Helping people, protecting his friends, keeping people he cared about safe. He wasn’t afraid to reach out and touch Theo, he wasn’t afraid that Theo was going to get hurt because of him – they’d both already done their fair share of damage to each other. Theo <em>needed</em> Scott, in a way nobody seemed to anymore. </p><p>Scott gently uncurled Theo from his legs, shifting his body down so Theo was half on top of him with his face tucked against Scott’s neck. Theo’s heart rate barely changed, and one of his hands grabbed at a handful of Scott’s shirt. Scott wrapped his arms around the chimera’s shoulders, tilting his face down to brush his nose against Theo’s hair, smelling a mix of his own shampoo and Theo. He pressed the faintest of kisses against the top of his head. </p><p>He’d lost too many people. He knew he’d do anything to keep Theo here, to <em>help</em> him, because he was <em>not</em> losing anyone else. </p><p>--</p><p>Theo woke as violently as he’d fallen asleep; jerking awake, tearing himself unintentionally away from the alpha that had been previously using Theo’s body as his own personal teddy bear. His chest heaved and he scrubbed his hands over his face, careful not to close his eyes again. The monster behind his eyelids was still lurking. He fisted one of his hands into the bedcovers and pressed a claw into the fleshy meat of his thumb, watching the bead of blood bubble up and roll towards his palm. The bite of pain meant this was real; he was alive and awake.</p><p>“Welcome back.” </p><p>Scott’s voice caused Theo to jump. Somehow, despite being <em>surrounded</em> by his scent, his heartbeat, his clothes and waking up in his bed, he’d forgotten that Scott was there for just a moment. Theo looked over his shoulder at him. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>Scott yawned and shook his head simultaneously, sitting up. “What are you sorry for?” the alpha asked, slowly – painfully, patiently slowly – settling a hand on the nape of Theo’s neck. “Do you… feel like you might wanna talk about it?”</p><p>Theo yearned to lean back into the touch, to <em>believe</em> that the alpha didn’t think he had anything to apologize for. It terrified him. For the first time in his life he <em>wanted</em> to tell someone what had happened to him. He wanted to tell them about Morley and his twisted games and how months after he’d been broken he’d then started doing sex work as a way to earn his own money. Theo had been nothing but currency in the exchange between the Doctors and Morley, and if anyone was going to profit off the use of his body, it might as well be him. </p><p>He wanted to explain that since he’d been brought back from Hell, hands on him – sometimes any hands, sometimes only very specific hands – could trigger memories that no amount of repression could erase. Sex work was the only way Theo knew how to make money consistently, but somehow, everything was different now. He wanted to explain that he hadn’t been lying when he’d said he was enthusiastic about sex with Scott. He’d been more enthusiastic about Scott’s touch than he’d ever been about <em>anyone</em> touching him. </p><p>He turned his face away from Scott, shaking himself out of the alpha’s grip despite the fact that  it made him feel safer than he had in months. The idea of saying anything felt like tearing at stitches that were barely keeping the wound closed anyway. He kept his gaze across the room, wondering if he could make it to the door and out of the apartment, before the alpha reacted and stopped him. </p><p><em>Would </em>Scott stop him, or would he just let him go? </p><p><em>Don’t leave</em>. Scott’s words rang in Theo’s ears. Earnest words whispered as Theo spiraled towards the darkness that threatened to consume him. “I can’t.” His voice cracked as he spoke, overwhelmed by the emotions. </p><p>“You don’t have to,” Scott said softly. “I don’t want you to. Just, <em>please</em> don’t go. Stay, Theo. Stay here and stay <em>safe</em> until you can talk about it. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” </p><p>Theo turned to Scott with tears in his eyes. He hated it. He felt broken, he felt worthless, he felt vulnerable, but all of that disappeared under the warmth of the Alpha’s gaze. Scott gave him a small, sincere smile that pushed the tears over the levy of Theo’s eyelids. </p><p>Scott meant every word he said. He meant that he wanted Theo to stay, here, in his apartment, <em>in his life</em>. Being wanted was so foreign to Theo, but coming from Scott it felt right. Theo knew he wouldn’t be able to tell the alpha about his past today; he might <em>never</em> be able to divulge the full details of the horror that happened inside Morley’s dusty old house. Somehow, despite this, he trusted that Scott would wait as long as it took; even if that meant waiting forever.</p><p>Theo blinked to clear the tears from his vision, resisted the urge to wipe them away as they rolled down his face, and met Scott’s eyes, giving a small nod. “Okay.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And we're done! How do you feel about it? What are your thoughts?? I'd love to hear them.</p><p>I make no promises, but I don't think my brain is <em>quite</em> done in this 'verse yet!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'd love comments and thoughts! I really love this pairing so far, and I've enjoyed this (dark) little world I've crafted. </p>
<p>Let me know in the comments, or come chat with me on <a href="https://tiniestawoo.tumblr.com">Tumblr!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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